Profile

Raheem Sterling is one of the most exciting youngsters in English football.

The skilful winger has become a regular under Brendan Rodgers and in November 2012 earned his first England cap at the age of just 17 - making him the youngest international in LFC history.

Sterling joined our Academy from Queens Park Rangers in February 2010.

Though it didn't count as a senior debut, he actually played as a substitute for the first team aged 15 in a pre-season defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach in 2010.

One of the highlights of his young career came during a 9-0 FA Youth Cup thrashing of Southend in early 2011, with Sterling scoring five of the goals.

The teenager made his official debut aged 17 when he featured as a substitute in a 2-1 league defeat by Wigan on March 24, 2012.

Five months later he would score a brilliant solo effort in a pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield, navigating two defenders before finishing into the bottom corner.

Sterling's first senior start came against Manchester City on August 26, 2012 - and he was so good he retained his place ahead of more experienced international stars.

He represented England at various youth levels before earning a first call-up in September 2012. Two months later, on November 14, Roy Hodgson went a step further by handing Sterling a debut in Sweden.

A whirlwind year for the youngster concluded with the signing of a new long-term Liverpool contract in December 2012, within weeks of Sterling celebrating his 18th birthday.

Although in subsequent months the agile winger would find himself out of Rodgers' first-choice line-up, Sterling's outstanding form as 2013 concluded and the new year began prompted the boss to describe the No.31 as 'the best winger in England at the moment'.

Seemingly improving with each passing week, the forward was a catalyst in the Reds' race to second place at the close of 2013-14 and was widely considered one of the better performers during England's failed World Cup challenge in Brazil.